System and method for selectively stimulating different body parts

• US 20060195153A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Tracey, Michael R., DiUbaldi, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36034 specified by the stimulation parameters

Abstract

A device and method is provided for transdermally stimulating selected body parts of a mammal. The device includes a first waveform generator adapted to generate a first waveform having a first frequency capable of stimulating a first predetermined body part, a second waveform generator adapted to generate a carrier waveform having a second frequency capable of passing through tissue of the mammal, and a third waveform generator adapted to generate a third waveform having a third frequency different from and out of phase with that of the first waveform, and capable of stimulating a second predetermined body part. The device further includes a modulation device electrically coupled to the first, second and third waveform generators and adapted to modulate the carrier, first, and third waveforms to create a modulated signal package, and a first electrode electrically coupled to the modulation device and positioned substantially adjacent to the skin of the mammal, and adapted to apply the modulated signal package thereto.

Claims

1. A transcutaneous electrical stimulation device for stimulating selected body parts of a mammal, comprising:

a first waveform generator adapted to generate a first waveform having a first frequency capable of stimulating a first predetermined body part;

a second waveform generator adapted to generate a carrier waveform having a second frequency capable of passing through tissue of the mammal;

a third waveform generator adapted to generate a third waveform having a third frequency different from and out of phase with that of the first waveform, and capable of stimulating a second predetermined body part;

a modulation device electrically coupled to the first, second and third waveform generators and adapted to modulate the carrier, first, and third waveforms to create a modulated signal package; and

a first electrode electrically coupled to the modulation device and positioned substantially adjacent to the skin of the mammal, and adapted to apply the modulated signal package thereto.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third waveform generators and the electrode are positioned within a patch device having an adhesive thereon for securing the patch to the skin.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the patch is positioned substantially in the abdominal or sacral regions of the mammal'"'"'s body.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a return electrode for receiving the signal package, wherein the first electrode and return electrode are both positioned external of and substantially adjacent to the skin of the mammal, and relative to each other such that the applied signal package may pass from the first electrode to the return electrode substantially without passing through tissue of the mammal.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the first and second predetermined body parts are different nerves of different branches of a given nerve.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the first and second predetermined body parts are the bladder and genitals respectively.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the first waveform has a frequency of approximately 20 Hz and the third waveform has a frequency of approximately 10 Hz.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the second carrier waveform has a frequency of approximately 10-400 KHz.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the first and third waveforms are square waves and the second carrier waveform is a sinusoidal wave.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth waveform generator electrically coupled to the modulation device and adapted to generate a fourth carrier waveform having a frequency different than the second carrier waveform, and wherein the modulation device further modulates the second carrier waveform to create the modulated signal package.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the modulation device further comprises first, second and third modulators, wherein the first modulator modulates the first waveform and second carrier waveform to create a first modulated signal, and the second modulator modulates the third waveform and fourth carrier waveform to create a second modulated signal, and wherein the third modulator modulates the first and second modulated signals to create the modulated signal package.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the modulation device further comprises first and second modulators, wherein the first modulator modulates the first waveform and second carrier waveform to create a first modulated signal, and wherein the second modulator modulates the first modulated signal, third waveform, and fourth carrier waveform to create the modulated signal package, and wherein the fourth waveform generator generates the fourth waveform only during periods of inactivity of the first modulated signal.

13. A transcutaneous electrical stimulation device for stimulating a plurality of different selected nerves or nerve branches of a mammal, comprising:

a first waveform generator adapted to generate a first waveform having a first frequency capable of stimulating a first predetermined nerve or nerve branch;

a second waveform generator adapted to generate a second carrier waveform having a second frequency capable of passing through tissue of the mammal;

a third waveform generator adapted to generate a third waveform having a third frequency different from and out of phase with that of the first frequency and capable of stimulating a second predetermined nerve or nerve branch;

a modulation device electrically coupled to the first, second and third waveform generators and adapted to modulate the second carrier waveform with the first and third waveforms to create a modulated signal package; and

an electrode electrically coupled to the modulation device and positioned substantially adjacent to the skin of the mammal, and adapted to apply the modulated signal package thereto.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the first, second, and third waveform generators and the electrode are positioned within a patch device having an adhesive thereon for securing the patch to the skin.

15. The device according to claim 14 wherein the patch is positioned substantially in the abdominal or sacral regions of the mammal'"'"'s body.

16. The device according to claim 13, further comprising a return electrode for receiving the signal package, wherein first electrode and return electrode are both positioned external of and substantially adjacent to the skin of the mammal, and relative to each other such that the applied signal package may pass from the first electrode to the return electrode substantially without passing through tissue of the mammal.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the first predetermined nerve or nerve branch is autonomic and the second predetermined nerve or nerve branch is somatomotor.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the first waveform has a frequency of approximately 10 Hz and the third waveform has a frequency of approximately 20 Hz.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the second carrier waveform has a frequency of approximately 10-400 KHz.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the first and third waveforms are square waves and the carrier waveform is a sinusoidal wave.

21. The device according to claim 13, further comprising a fourth waveform generator electrically coupled to the modulation device and adapted to generate a fourth carrier waveform having a frequency different than the second carrier waveform, and wherein the modulation device further modulates the second carrier waveform to create the modulated signal package.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein the modulation device further comprises first, second and third modulators, wherein the first modulator modulates the first waveform and second carrier waveform to create a first modulated signal, and the second modulator modulates the third waveform and fourth carrier waveform to create a second modulated signal, and wherein the third modulator modulates the first and second modulated signals to create the modulated signal package.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein the modulation device further comprises first and second modulators, wherein the first modulator modulates the first waveform and second carrier waveform to create a first modulated signal, and wherein the second modulator modulates the first modulated signal, third waveform and fourth carrier waveform to create the modulated signal package, and wherein the fourth waveform generator generates the fourth carrier waveform only during periods of inactivity of the first modulated signal.

24. A method for transcutaneously and selectively stimulating more than one body part within a mammal, comprising:

identifying a first and second internal body parts for selective stimulation;

generating a first waveform having a frequency capable of stimulating the first identified body part;

generating a second carrier waveform having a frequency capable of passing through tissue of said mammal to reach the first and second identified body parts;

generating a third waveform having a frequency capable of stimulating the second identified body part, the third waveform being generated out of phase with the first waveform;

modulating the first, second carrier, and third waveforms to create a modulated signal package; and

applying the modulated signal package substantially to a skin surface of said mammal.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the modulating step further comprises first modulating the first waveform and second carrier waveform to create a first modulated signal, and subsequently modulating the first modulated signal with the third waveform.

26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising generating a fourth carrier waveform having a frequency different than the second carrier waveform, wherein the modulating step comprises the steps of modulating the first waveform and second carrier waveform to create a first modulated signal, and modulating the third waveform and fourth carrier waveform to create a second modulated signal.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the modulating step further comprises modulating the first and second modulated signals to create the modulated signal package.